The future influencers is… not human?

Like many things these days, they’ve gone virtual.

And they’re making waves on social media. Dior, Calvin Klein, Adidas and BMW are just a few of the powerhouse brands that have begun to utilize these virtual personas. But do they have staying power? And what are the benefits of choosing to go non-human?

In today's newsletter:

• The virtual influencer takeover (are they better than the real thing?)

• Wranglers contribution to cowboy culture (and why leaning into ‘your thing’ is powerful)

• Trend plug - In the KLERRBB

• Ask the Editor - How do I get my LinkedIn audience to sign up for my newsletter?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

Run IRL ads as easily as PPC

AdQuick unlocks the benefits of Out Of Home (OOH) advertising in a way no one else has. Approaching the problem with eyes to performance, created for marketers with the engineering excellence you’ve come to expect for the internet.

Marketers agree OOH is one of the best ways for building brand awareness, reaching new customers, and reinforcing your brand message. It’s just been difficult to scale. But with AdQuick, you can plan, deploy and measure campaigns as easily as digital ads, making them a no-brainer to add to your team’s toolbox.

You can learn more at AdQuick.com

Meet Imma.

The Japanese influencer sporting a chic pink bob and almost 400,000 followers on Instagram and 471,000 on TikTok.

Imma’s content ranges from fashion to culture, art, film, and even comedy.

She recently had her own TED talk. She’s also been selected as one of the 'New 100 talent to watch' by Japan Economics Entertainment.

Okay? You say. What’s so special about Imma?

At first glance, Imma looks like your regular influencer.

Only she’s not, because she’s not real.

Imma is one of many virtual influencers that are rising in popularity and taking social media by storm.

This is not a new concept; virtual influencers have been a thing since 2018. However, with the current technological advancements on GenAI and the like, the cost, speed and quality of such virtual personas are 'only poised to improve,' according to a PitchBook report.

These advancements, coupled with the fact that influencer marketing has been steadily growing in popularity as of late, are fuelling the growth of these new social media superstars.

The question is, do they have the same impact and staying power as human influencers?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Wrangler Rides its Western Heritage in New Campaign

There are few things more Americana than a pair of blue jeans.

And no jeans more fit for a cowboy than Wrangler.

The brand, founded in 1947 in Greensboro, North Carolina, is an American Classic. It's recognised by virtually every adult in the US.

And in recent years, Wrangler has been riding its western heritage into popular culture.

We didn’t see a $7 million commercial from the iconic denim merchant at the Super Bowl this February. But, you best believe they were present.

Wranglers appeared in the form of the classic Cowboy Cut Jeans worn by the rapper-turned-country-star Post Malone as he sang 'America the Beautiful' before kickoff.

It seems clever cultural impact is at the core of the brand’s marketing strategy. They've sponsored artists in the country music space, like Lainey Wilson, Jon Pardi and George Strait. The brand has collaborated with iconic forces in popular culture such as Barbie, 'twisters' and Buffalo Trace Bourbon – building positive momentum for the brand's image.

As a result, Wrangler has seen global revenue increase 1% year-over-year last quarter.

Keeping the momentum going, Wrangler will launch its first new global advertising campaign since 2021.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - In the KLERRBB

TikTokers love to take iconic moments from their favourite shows and use them as their new trending sound.

So, this week's iconic moment comes from the show Broad City. In this clip, the two main characters (Ilana and Abbi) are in the 'KLERRBB'. And when Ilana says, 'In da KLERB, we all fam,' Abbi can't seem to understand what Ilana is saying.

Now, TikTokers are using this sound to describe times they were trying to fit in with a group or trying to explain something. For example, 'me catching an attitude because I had to repeat myself more than twice,' and 'when i reference a tiktok to someone and they don't get it'.

How to jump on this trend:

Simply, lip-sync to this sound. Use your OST to describe a time you were trying to fit into a group, or a time you tried to explain something and someone else just wouldn't catch on.

A few ideas to get you started:

• Me trying to fit in with my Gen Z co-workers

• Me trying to explain something to the intern

• Me jumping in on a conversation with absolutely no context

-Carter, Intern

Today on the YAP podcast…

Want even more ‘YAP’ing? Check out the full podcast here.

Ask the Editor

Q - I've just started a newsletter for my coaching clients. How do I get my LinkedIn audience to sign up for my emails? -Cherize

Hey Cherize!

There are a few ways you can go about this. First, you can create a LinkedIn newsletter and put your content in there, at least at first. When you do this, LinkedIn will let you invite all your followers to follow your newsletter as well.

Then, once you've got a lot of your audience reading your newsletter on LinkedIn, you can start asking them to sign up for your email. Over time, gradually reduce the amount they can read on LinkedIn so they have a reason to move over.

Another option is to create more content that will drive people to your newsletter. I'm not talking about annoying, salesy content. I'm talking about content you know your audience is interested in (that also relates to your newsletter).

Add a CTA letting people know you talk more about these topics in your newsletter. Then put your subscribe link in the comments.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

For the group chat

😲WTF: Would you ride this AI plane?
😂Yap’s funniest home videos: That BANG is crazy
❤How wholesome: Be known for your kindness
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Perfect Steak Frites

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.

Wondering what the heck we do at The ATTN Seeker? Check us out.

Heard about a cool case study we should feature? Hit reply and tell us about it!

Got a question about social media strategy OR marketing? Reply to get it answered in an upcoming newsletter.